Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-12-03
WILD GEESE IN DAKOTA.
Grand Armies Of Wild Birds--A Sight to
Delight sportsmai's Eyea.


Grand Armies Of wild Birds--A sight TO
Delight spcrtsmah's Eyea.
For the Information and, perhaps lam
eft Of spo1tsmen, win give faint de-
fcription of what we are daily witnessing
Of the grand armies Of the strong winged
birds whose name heads this letter. OF
The variety known further south as wild
geese, the "honkers. rs they are called,
from their peculiar cry when on the wing.
we see large numbers. A great many Of
them nest and breed about the small lakes
in our neighborhood, and people often
take the eggs and hatch them under do
mestic birds, either geese or hens, Be
sides these there are the brant, smaller,
gray goose, and the beautiful snowy
geese. OF these last there seems TO be no
limit to numbers. The cir Is almost con-
stantly filled with their notes, and one
can scarcely look up at tile sky whichis
wonderfully wide from these highlands
without seeing focks Of these magni6-
cent birds wheeling across it in one direc-
ton or another. No mathematics yet
invented could cnumerate the hosts that
have so far appeared. instantaneous
photography Is the only method by which
any truthful representation can DO given
Of their hosts.
We rode ont the other day to the lake
(Wamnuska, sometimes called. Stump
lake,. Tho day was one OF the mellow,
golden, bracing, thoroughly enjoyable
days that October sometimes brings even
to poor jewellers amid the mists and
damps of the east. but to us she is lavish
of such treasures during her entire reign.
All the day and the days before--one can
not tell for how long---f1ocks of geese, in
countless numbers, were sailing overhead
in ranks and clusters Of ranks, some dark
and some snowy white, with black
tipped wings. They are congregat-
ing about our beautiful lake, proba-
bly, making preliminary arrangements
Tor their southern flight. The whole
blue vault, which showed no cloud,
was lined in every direction by ranks of
snowy BIRDS The afternoon sun shone
full upon their brilliant plumage, tinging
it full golden color, than which no bird
Of paradise could be more dazzling, and
the vast numbers on wing Of shining
gold hued hosts, made one of the finest
sights that one can behold, never be-
fore saw anything to equal it. When we
came in full view of the lake, where there
!. are several miles of water in sight. there
was another remarkable surprise for us.
+ the canopy above was full of flying
Z birds, the surface Of tha. long stretch OF
glistening water was hundred times
more SO. Along the further shore and
far out from land there were thousands
of geese floating SO close together that
one cav no glimmer Of water between
them.
Midway between the snores lslanos O.
geese fioated, but appeared, to observers
on the high banks, like still, inanimate
earth, covered with a fresh fall Of snow.
Sportsmcn were crouching here and there
behind clumps OF bushes, and every now
and then rifle shot echoed along the
woodland; but what were few sports
men among such multitudes of birds?
Ny neighbor, the postmaster, brought
IN a half dozen geese, the result Of two
or three odd half hours sport. Another
G tsighbor took twelve the safne day. One
yam shot fourteen within thirty minutes.
AIS iSSi VI uicsic Dhus 10 SAccheii,- diiu
il this climate can be kept Il long time.
A party of sportsmen are here now from
Florida, and will spend week or more.
Two gentlemen from Boston spent q week
here shooting, and bagSed a large num-
! her q Of d.el-s,- and several geese. They
left for h.,e some weeks a1oo, Had
they remained two weeks their SPORT
would. perhaps, have been more satisfac-
tory, as the larger birds are far more
numerous at this time than a month
earlier. AS it was, however. these
Boston men were SO well pleased with
their trip and with the opportunities for
good shooting, that they left their canoe
here for next years use. --Harrisbrg
a tDak.) Iett@.